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Happy Anniversary, part II

Just a recap of our evening...the followup to my earlier anniversary entry.

Dave and I picked up the movie tickets on the way to the tavern, because it was premiere weekend for A Perfect Getaway so I thought best to get them in advance. Then headed along to the MicMac tavern, where we ordered beer and a munchie plate while we waited for Mark and Valerie to join us. Instead of regular draft, I tried a draft called Garrison nut brown, which was very full bodied and quite tasty. Garrison is a local microbrewery. I'd had their Irish red ale before, but not the nut brown. It was heavy enough that I would never be able to down any quantity of it, but a couple was great. Soon enough our friends arrived, and eventually we all ordered steak. Mine was absolutely delicious...thick, juicy, perfectly grilled (medium rare, on the rare side)...mmMMmm!! Dave, Mark and Val said their steaks were equally yummy. After our tasty meal, we went for a stroll around the Shubie Park trails.

Dave even obliged my photo-madness!

Of course, we had to read the various information plaques around the park...

The Shubenacadie waterway was originally used by the Mi'kmaq First Nations people as a travel route between Halifax Harbour and the Bay of Fundy. In the early 1800s, the merchants in Halifax decided to expand the waterway and build a canal and lock system. The Shubenacadie Canal was at best moderately successful, and closed in 1870 due to the construction of railway bridges too low for boats to pass beneath. I believe several of the locks have been designated as heritage sites. A section of the canal system has been incorporated into a lovely park in Dartmouth. The park has extensive trails, an interpretation centre, and an adjoining campground. As Valerie commented, we are so fortunate in the Halifax area to have so many wonderful parks and trails. We certainly enjoyed our stroll today, joking about starting up a tour company, that takes people on cruises through the canal system.

The canal is quite narrow, and not very deep...

We saw a couple of the very sociable chipmunks and squirrels. There is a man (professor at Dalhousie, I believe), who *knows* pretty near all the chipmunks in the park. He has named them and knows their differences and their territories. I've met him a few times when we've taken the girls here, and he is always so patient with them. He tells them all about chipmunks, and coaxes them up onto the girls' hands...the girls of course are always delighted with this! We didn't meet the chipmunk man today though. One of the chipmunks was coming up to our feet, then dashing away. It didn't stay still long, so this is the best photo I could manage.

The park also includes a duck pond...

After the park, we headed over to the movie theatre. We had loads of time to spare, so we walked around the shops. Dartmouth Crossing has big box stores, but also a section built to replicate a main street shopping kind of setup. A street lined with boutique type shops on both sides, all with outside entrances. Lovely to stroll in good weather, but we imagine it is hell in the winter! We stopped for gelato at a little shop called Dio Mio...nothing like what I had in Italy, but not bad. A little more window shopping, including a stop in a shoe store that promised 50% off the last ticketed price. We weren't inside long when Dave and Mark gave us the hook. Mark said if we didn't leave, they were going to start whining and pestering...Valerie and I said go ahead, if we can ignore M and K singing "The song that never ends" in the car, we can certainly ignore our husbands whining at us! But we mosied along anyway, since it was getting time to go along to the theatre to ensure we got good seats. And in fact, the theatre was full by the time the movie started, so just as well we didn't cut it too close. Would hate to end up being stuck in the front row...ugh. After a long stream of previews, for some reason these were mostly horror movies, so nothing much caught my eye...except the upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie, with Robert Downey, Jr (and as I've said before, any movie with RD, Jr is good enough for me!)

I actually thought A Perfect Getaway was quite entertaining for what it was. That is, it wasn't pretending to be *great*, and in fact, almost bordered on parody, but not really. Reminded me of cheesy B movies, but in a fun way. And I didn't even figure it out until all was revealed...mind you, as a general rule, I have to be hit over the head before I ever figure movie plots out, so others might find it blindingly obvious! All in all, a nice light thriller that had its moments.

And now I am home, feeling deliciously happy and content, full of love and friendship! ♥

Comments (2)

Annie, it really is fascinating watching the "chipmunk man" interact with these adorable little creatures. And I'm always amazed at how patient he is with children, he really seems to enjoy sharing his knowledge.